What Do Vickery Artists Think About Choices in Art?

5th Grade Lego Sculpture

The first year I tried TAB, I gave an end of year survey, and have given a survey each year since.   It seems that no matter what we do during the year, it is the end of year reflection surveys that are the most surprising, honest, and informative about the artists overall progress.  This year, one of the questions was, "Should kids have choices in art?  Why?"  The following are some of my favorite responses, written by students in 3rd - 5th grade.  For the most part I have left the original spelling and grammar in tact.

Should kids have choices in art?  Why?

Yes because if we all just do the same thing then we can’t learn anything.

Yes, students should have choice so they can love art how they want to.

I like that I have many ideas and turn them into real creations because of all the choices

Yes, because its good to have your own ideas or choices because like that we will have awesome ideas like for example a island that it calls Mako Island where mermaids live fairys or mermaids or other drawings.

Yes because if you tell them what to do they can’t be creative and your bored all the time. 

Yes because art is expressing yourself. 

Yes, because if you give kids the option to do what they want, you’ll see what a lot of kids are capable of, amazing artwork.

I like the way you can choose something that makes you happy also you can discover your inner art.

Yes we should have choices because students are just as important as grownups

I like having choices for the freedom and range of doing what we want.

I think kids should have a choice because if kids have choices then their mind could be free to draw, or build anything they can think of. 

Yes, because if we don’t have a choice, we don’t have control of the pencil. 

I feel so grateful that we can actually choose anything because some people have different perspectives.

I like it because you don’t have to worry about getting in trouble.

Yes, because they will be more creative.

1st Grade Landscape in Pencil